BRTA Seeking More Grants for ITC Repairs
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority needs funding for repairs to the Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center, citing its state grant is short by millions.
On Thursday, Administrator Kathleen Lambert told the BRTA board that the $2.4 million federal Buses and Bus Facilities Grant is not enough to cover center's estimated $7.1 million in repairs.
She said the use of a prior grant focused on concrete deck and sidewalks, but missed critical issues.
The stairwell from the parking garage to the bus deck is condemned right now, and a crumbling deck in the park lane caused by poor drainage along with electrical piping busting through is currently fenced off.
Engineering company, AECOM, which had done the facilities assessment years ago, provided the cost estimates for repairs.
Lambert said she is preparing a proposal for the grant this year as it applications have recently opened and that she will try to find funding elsewhere as well.
In terms of service, Operations Manager Benjamin Hansen said July's ridership numbers have gone down most likely because of route cancellations but that paratransit is busier than ever and they see a growing need from their seniors in rural communities. He hopes to have enough drivers and extras to lessen cancellations.
Lambert said three new CDL operators have been hired as well as three paratransit operators. A new transit ambassador who will be at the ITC to provide frontline customer service to riders and answer any questions or concerns they may have.
She also mentioned hiring a paratransit operations manager.
"Having a paratransit manager has been a big issue because we're working on a run-cut bid, like a set bid for paratransit. For the first time, we will have a bid process similar to the fixed route bid process in our paratransit fleet," she said, adding it will now be called mobility services, rather than paratransit, with plans to expand the services.
In other news, there had been a rumor on Facebook surrounding the North Adams Loop, Route 34, being cancelled because no driver had bid for it. While the usual driver did not bid to do the route anymore it will go to someone else and will not be cancelled indefinitely. Lambert noted that routes might still be cancelled occasionally because of the driver shortage.
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